


Saving Asher

by TVLover18



Category: All American (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:55:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22459864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TVLover18/pseuds/TVLover18
Summary: After Olivia’s cotillion Asher is desperate to make things right.  But after he apologizes, Olivia makes a discovery that could change everything.  Can Olivia help Asher before the worst happens?  Set after 2x10
Relationships: Asher Adams/Olivia Baker
Comments: 34
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

Somehow Olivia had made it home. She had wanted to stay at the hospital until Spencer was out of surgery, but her parents thought it would be best for her to go home and get some rest after everything. Kia, who had come by the hospital after hearing about the shooting, dropped her off at home. Kia asked Olivia if she wanted her to stay, but she said no. She would be fine.

But she wasn’t fine. This entire night had been a disaster. First, her boyfriend had acted like a jerk. More than a jerk. She thought Asher had made so much progress in the last few months, but she hadn’t recognized the man who fought with her earlier that night.

She climbed up the stairs to her room and took off her dress. She let it fall to the floor, and she saw all the blood that was on it. Her legs gave out and she collapsed on the floor beside her dress and started sobbing. How did this night go so wrong?

Jordan had texted Asher about the shooting. He panicked and drove to the hospital as fast as he could. But when he got there Jordan told him Olivia had just left.

“Is Liv okay?”

Jordan told him that she was physically okay but was emotionally shaken up over Spencer. As he left the hospital, he sat down on the bench and tried to take in what had happened. His girlfriend could have been shot tonight. And he had been awful to her. He knew he had to go check on her and make things right between them. He just hoped it wasn’t too late.

He called her, and she didn’t pick up so he left her a message telling her he was on his way over. “Liv, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

He rang the doorbell and knocked, but no answer. He turned the doorknob, and to his surprise, the door opened. “Liv,” he called. But no answer. He walked up to her room and what he saw broke him. She was kneeling on the floor, crying. Her face was covered in mascara, and he could see stains of blood on her hands.

“Liv,” he said, gently. She looked up at him, confused as to why he was here. “Can I come in?” he asked.

She nodded. As he entered her room, he grabbed her robe that was hanging on the door. He sat down on the floor next to her, and handed her the robe. “Put this on,” he said, wanting her to feel more comfortable.

She struggled to get the robe on as she was still shaking. But once she had it wrapped around her she looked up at him and asked why he was there.

“I wanted to check on you. And to apologize. Liv, you have no idea how sorry I am. I should have known how important tonight was to you. I was an idiot.”

“Asher—“

“When I heard what happened... all these thoughts started racing through my head. What if you had been hurt? I couldn’t take it if anything ever happened to you.”

He reached for her hand, and when he knew she wasn’t going to pull away from him, he continued. “You have been there for me through everything. I’m just sorry I wasn’t there for you. You needed me.”

“I did need you. I needed you at the dance. And I needed you tonight after the shooting.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. For everything I said and everything I did. And I’m here now... if you’ll just give me another chance.” He hating knowing that he was the one that caused her this much pain. He was the one who was supposed to take care of her.

“I was so scared, Asher. Spencer was just... just lying there... bleeding...” she couldn’t finish as she completely broke down. Asher pulled her into his arms and held her as she cried. “It’s okay,” he said, quietly, “You’re okay.” 

She pulled away after a few minutes and her eyes locked with his. He was suddenly very aware that she was only wearing her bathrobe. She then leaned in and kissed him. She put both her hands around his neck to pull him closer as he wrapped his hands around her waist. They kept kissing for a few minutes before he pulled away. They were both in a very emotional state right now, and if they didn’t stop now he was afraid she would regret it.

“Liv,” he said, “maybe we should....”

“Yeah,” she said, “We should probably stop. It’s been a long day.” He nodded. “It has been. Do you want me to leave?” She shook her head. While she thought she wanted to be alone earlier, she was wrong. Even though she and Asher definitely still had things to work out, she was glad he came over. She felt calmer now. “I want you to stay.” 

“Why don’t you go take a shower, and I’ll go fix us some food.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“But you should probably eat something, okay?”

She finally agreed to eat the rest of the pizza that was in the fridge. While Asher put that in the oven, he realized he left his bag in the car. He went to grab it and then just tossed it on the floor by the stairs. Olivia wasn’t paying attention when she walked down the stairs and almost tripped over it. She picked it up to move it not realizing one of the pockets was opened. When she sat it back down, she noticed that something fell out of it. She picked up the small bottle, and gasped as soon as she realized.

Asher was using steroids.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia tries.to deal with Asher’s secret and struggles with how to help him.

Olivia stared at the bottle for a minute just to make sure it really was what she thought it was. She opened up the pocket and saw the syringes. Then it all made sense. His mood swings and his violent outbursts. It was because of the steroids. 

Why was he doing this? And where did he get all of it? She heard his voice, and she shoved the bottle back in his bag. She wasn’t sure what to do yet, and she didn’t know if she was emotionally or mentally prepared to talk about this tonight.

He walked into the living room with a plate of food and a drink. “I thought ginger ale might help you feel better.”

She gave him a small smile and thanked him. They sat down on the couch, and she took a few bites of food. She really wasn’t hungry especially after her recent discovery about Asher.

“Do you want to watch a movie or something on tv?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I probably wouldn’t be able to concentrate. Can we just sit here for a while?”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

She moved closer to him and she pressed her head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She could feel his heart beating, and she realized that she had to do something to help him. 

“Asher, are you okay?”

Her question caught him by surprise. He was trying to take care of her tonight, and she was concerned about him. “Yeah, Liv, I’m fine.”

She sat up so she was looking at him but kept one of her hands touching his chest so he knew she cared. “I know you’re still angry at your parents. And you’ve put so much pressure on yourself about playing football.”

“I’m fine,” he repeated. “I just got a little stressed out about practice. I have to keep practicing so I can get better. And then maybe....”

“Maybe what?” She asked, getting concerned.

“Maybe then people will like me. Maybe my dad will be proud of me.”

His admission nearly broke Olivia’s heart. So this is why he was taking steroids. He felt like he wasn’t good enough without them.

“If you’re dad isn’t proud of you then that’s his problem. But Asher, I’m proud of you. And you shouldn’t let football consume your life.”

She could tell he was scared, but he tried to change the subject. “Liv, you shouldn’t be worrying about me.”

She knew at that point he wasn’t going to tell her about the steroids so she was going to have to bring it up. But before she could decide what to do, the front door opened and Jordan walked in.

Jordan was surprised to see Asher there, but he just assumed that he and Liv had made up. He was exhausted so he didn’t really want the details of their relationship. Both Liv and Asher asked about Spencer, and they were relieved that he made it through surgery and was going to be fine. 

“Well now that Jordan’s home, I should probably leave so you can get some rest,” Asher told Olivia. 

Olivia walked him to the door and asked him if she could see him tomorrow. “Of course. And Liv, I really am sorry for tonight.”

“I know,” she said, before giving him a hug.

She walked back into the house, and Jordan was sitting on the couch looking at her. “Are you okay?”

No, she wasn’t okay. One of her best friends almost died tonight, and her boyfriend was doing something really dangerous. She didn’t know if she should tell Jordan or not, but she figured Jordan would want to help Asher, too. And she didn’t really know who else to turn to.

“Jordan, I think Asher’s in trouble, and we have to help him.”

Honestly, Jordan was tired of Asher’s drama and his issues especially after tonight, but when he looked at his sister, he could tell she was really upset. “What kind of trouble?”

“He’s using steroids, Jordan.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia confronts Asher over his steroid use.

This news took Jordan by surprise. He knew Asher had dedicated himself to football, but steroids? 

“Are you sure? I mean, I know he’s had some problems, but I don’t think he would-“

“I found the bottle in his bag,” she told him. “And think about it, it makes sense. The outburst at my dance? Probably the steroids. And he told me he needs to get better at football so his dad would be proud of him.”

“Wait, I thought his relationship with his dad was better now.”

Olivia told him the story of how his dad blackmailed his mom, and how Asher thought his dad was disappointed in him because he didn’t make the list of the top football players in the country.

Jordan felt really guilty. He had no idea that Asher had gone through this. He felt like he should have been there for him.

“Well it’s not like he’s great at letting people in,” she told Jordan.

“He let you in.”

“But I didn’t even know about the steroids. I didn’t know how bad he was hurting.”

Jordan stood up and went over to give his sister a hug. “None of this is your fault, okay? We just need to figure out how to help him.”

She nodded. “I’m going to talk to him tomorrow. Maybe I can get through to him.”

———————

The next day Olivia waited for Asher to get through with practice. She knew where the key was so she let herself in hoping that was okay. The longer she waited the more nervous she got. When he walked through the door he was surprised to see her, but he was happy.

“Hey, I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

“I wanted to see you.”

He smiled and and gave her a kiss. But she pulled away suddenly so he knew something was wrong. “What’s going on?” He asked.

They sat down on the couch, and she realized she just needed to ask him about the drugs. Waiting wasn’t going to make this easier. “Why are you using steroids?”

“What? Liv—”

“Please don’t lie to me. We don’t lie to each other. I found the bottle in your bag.” 

She reached over and grabbed his hand. She really wanted him to know that she cared. “You can talk to me.”

“It’s not a big deal, okay? I just needed something to help make me play better. A lot of football players use them.”

“It is a big deal, Asher! What you’re doing is dangerous.”

“Matt wouldn’t have given them to me if he didn’t think it was okay.”

“Wait, Matt Springer the football player gave them to you?” Now she was livid. This was the guy that was trying to steal her dad’s job not to mention he was supposed to be a role model for these players. No wonder Asher thought it was okay since the NFL MVP told him it was.

“Yeah. He said I have potential to be great.”

“You do.”

“You don’t understand, Olivia. I need football. The steroids can help get me on that top football list. Then I can play in college and maybe the NFL.”

“You can’t do any of that if you die!”

“Liv, I’m not going to die.”

“How do you know that, Asher? Do you know how bad this stuff is for you?”

He stood up and started pacing. He couldn’t believe she didn’t understand. The steroids were helping him. “Don’t you understand that I need this?”

“You don’t. You’re already good at football. And I know your parents hurt you, but I’m here. And I’m begging you to stop before something happens to you.”

He looked at her, and he could see the fear in her eyes. No one had truly cared about him before, and he didn’t want to push her away. “Do you really think they’re dangerous?”

“They are. And with your history with alcohol and depression, I’m scared you’re going down a bad path. 

“But what if I stop, and then I fail? I’m tired of disappointing people.”

She walked over to him and grabbed his hands. At this moment she truly hated everyone that had made him feel so unwanted. “First, you’re not a disappointment. Second, why don’t we just focus on today.” She knew as a recovering addict that when she started thinking too far in the future she got overwhelmed. And she could tell Asher was having those feelings right now.

“We can handle whatever happens, Asher. I just need you to promise to stop using steroids.”

He looked at her and realized he couldn’t lose her. She had never asked him for anything before so he knew this was important. “I’ll stop. If it means I don’t lose you, I’ll stop.”

She sighed, feeling like everything might be okay. “Promise?”

“Yeah.”

She put her arms around his neck pulling him closer. “I couldn’t take it if anything ever happened to you.”

“I felt the exact same way,” he said, before leaning in to kiss her. “Thank you for standing by me through everything.”

————

When Olivia got home Jordan wanted to know how her talk with Asher went. She told Jordan that Asher promised he was going to stop.

“Do you believe him?”

“I want to. I mean he stopped drinking. And he could see how upset I was.”

“I don’t know, Liv. I know you want to believe him, and maybe he does want to stop, but I think he needs help. Maybe we should talk to dad.”

“No, not yet. I want to believe him. Can you just....watch him? Keep an eye on him at practice?”

“Yeah, I can try.”

“Maybe between the two of us we can keep him from using again. Show him that he’s loved. I just hate how awful he feels.”

Jordan hated this, too, and he wanted to help, but he didn’t think Olivia’s plan would work. He wanted to believe Asher was going to stop, and Asher probably wanted to stop, too, but he didn’t think it would be that easy. He hoped he was wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asher tries to keep his word to Olivia but it’s harder than he thought it would be.

Asher tried to keep his word to Olivia and stop using. He really did. He was practicing twice a day and eating healthy trying to keep his energy up and prepare for the next scrimmage. The day before the scrimmage Matt showed up after practice was over. He cornered Asher and told him that some scouts were going to be at the scrimmage so he needed to have a good game.

Asher had dinner with Olivia that night. She could tell he was nervous, and she was mad at Matt Springer for putting more pressure on him. 

“You’re going to play great tomorrow,” she reassured him.

“Maybe I should go back to the gym. Get one more workout in before tomorrow.”

“No. You’re going to push yourself too hard. You just need to get some rest tonight.”

“Yeah... you’re probably right,” he said, trying to convince himself more than her.

“Let’s talk about something else,” she said, desperately trying to get his mind off football. “Tomorrow night do you want to come over and have dinner with us?”

“I’m invited to the Baker family dinner?”

“Of course, Ash.” She squeezed hand. He might not think his family cared about him, but her family did, and she was going to make sure he left loved.

————-

Asher thought he did okay in the scrimmage. That was until the last play. Jordan threw it to him, and it was a little long. He ran as fast as he could, but he couldn’t catch it. His teammates told him it wasn’t his fault, but his dad wasn’t so positive. 

After the game Asher walked out of the locker room with Jordan when his dad met him. “Good job today, Asher. But it would have been better if you had caught that last pass.”

“That was my fault,” Jordan said. “I threw it too long.”

He looked at Jordan, grateful for his help. “I had other catches.”

“Yeah, you did. You did fine, Asher. But you’ll need to get faster especially since Spencer’s coming back soon.”

“Are you still coming over for dinner?” Jordan asked, trying to change the subject.

Asher did go over for dinner, but he couldn’t stop thinking about what his dad said. He was working so hard, but he still wasn’t good enough. And his dad was right, with Spencer coming back soon he wouldn’t be the number one receiver on the team. 

He didn’t eat very much, and Olivia asked him if he was okay. He told her he was just tired, which wasn’t a complete lie. He was tired, but it didn’t matter: he had to keep pushing himself. He asked if it was okay if he left early, and told her he just wanted to rest.

Olivia walked him to the the door and gave him a hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he leaned his head against her chest. He let himself be vulnerable for just a second. “I want you to call me when you get home, okay?”

He nodded. “I will.”

As soon as he left, Olivia went back into the kitchen and her parents asked her if she was okay. “I’m just worried about Asher. He just said he was tired, but it seemed like something else was wrong.”

“He’s probably upset about what happened after the game,” Jordan informed her.

Olivia looked at him, confused.

“His dad commenting about him missing the last pass I threw to him, which wasn’t even his fault. And now he’s worried about losing his spot to Spencer.”

He paused, not knowing whether or not to continue especially since his parents were in the room. “Liv, I think maybe....”

“No,” she said, not letting him finish. “He promised.”

“You didn’t see the way he acted when he was with his dad.”

Their parents interrupted them wanting to know what was going on. “It’s fine,” Olivia lied. “Asher was just having some problems, but he’s okay now.”

She really didn’t want to get her dad involved unless she had to. Just then, her phone buzzed telling her she had a text from Asher. He had made it home. “See, he’s fine. Everything’s going to be fine.”

Before she went upstairs, she hugged both of her parents. “I love you. Thank you for always being there for me.”

After she was upstairs Billy asked Jordan if he should be worried. Jordan decided to respect Olivia’s wishes and not say anything. “Not now. I’ll let you know if you need to worry.” He also gave his parents hugs and told them he loved them. His life wasn’t perfect, but his parents always made sure he felt loved and wanted. 

He decided that he would be checking on Asher tomorrow to make sure he was okay, and to make sure he wasn’t using again.

—————

The problem was Asher wasn’t okay. And he wasn’t home. He hated lying to Liv, but he didn’t want her to worry. He had driven to the practice facility to get another workout in. He was so tired, though. After the workout he could barely stand. He didn’t know how he would be able to practice the next day.

He went to his locker to get a towel after his shower, and he saw the bottle of steroids. He held the bottle in his hands. This would help him not feel so tired. He knew Olivia didn’t want him to use anymore, but a few more doses wouldn’t hurt, right? He just needed this until he could get colleges to notice him.

He put the needle in the bottle, and then injected himself with the steroids. This was fine. Nothing was going to happen to him. The steroids were going to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Asher completely broke my heart in the last episode. He’s hurting so much, and I just hope Olivia can help him!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bakers try to figure out a plan as Asher continues to spiral.

Asher thought he had his steroid use under control. No one had figured out he was using again, and the only side effect he noticed was sometimes his heart beat faster than normal and it took him longer to catch his breath. But that was just because pushing himself harder than ever, and it was worth it.

That all changed once Spencer was cleared to practice again. He knew he had to be even better to not lose his spot. During practice he caught every pass Jordan threw to him and ran as fast as he could to impress Coach Baker. But after one touchdown, he felt off. Not only was his heart beating fast, but his chest hurt. He tried to just walk it off, but he couldn’t catch his breath, and his legs were shaky. His legs collapsed and he fell. He heard Jordan yell his name, but all he could do was clutch his chest trying to make the pain stop. 

By this point Coach Baker and Jordan were both by his side, but after a minute the pain lessened and he was able to talk again. 

“I’m fine,” he said, “I guess I just overdid it a little.”

Billy told him to go take a seat on the bench and rest and Spencer would fill in for him for the remainder of the game.

“Coach, I said I’m fine,” he argued.

“You did good today, Asher. But obviously you need to rest. You can play again tomorrow.”

For the rest of practice he watched Jordan throw passes to Spencer who looked fine especially for someone recovering from being shot. After practice he showered and changed and tried to get out of the locker room as fast as possible, but Jordan caught up with him.

“Asher, wait,” Jordan said, stopping him from leaving. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“You collapsed on the field, Asher. That didn’t look good.”

“I just pushed myself a little too hard, okay? Don’t worry about me.”

“I am worried about you. Listen, Liv told me about... what you were doing earlier. If you need to talk or anything-”

“Thanks, but I’m fine.”

“I just want to help, Asher.”

“You want help? Really, Jordan? When’s the last time you and I actually hung out? Where were you when my life was falling apart?” He was not going to sit here and be lectured by Jordan who not only didn’t know anything about his life right now, but had made plenty of mistakes recently, too.

“I know, but I’m here now.”

“I don’t want to talk,” he said, walking away.

“Are you still using steroids?”

He turned around and looked at Jordan not knowing what to say. “I told Liv I would stop.”

“I know what you told her. But the way you’ve been playing and what happened today? I think you’re still using. And if you don’t stop something bad’s going happen to you.”

“You wouldn’t understand. You have your whole family. They love you and support you. I have football. And Liv. That’s it.” He paused for a moment to compose himself. “And like I said earlier, I just pushed myself too far. I’ll see you tomorrow, Jordan.”

At that point Jordan knew Asher wasn’t going to ask for help, and he thought it was time to involve his dad. He didn’t want to get Asher in trouble, but it was more important to save his life. When he got home he told Olivia about Asher having chest pain and the conversation they had earlier.

“We have to tell dad, Liv.”

She nodded finally admitting that this was above her head. She couldn’t believe he was still using. What if his chest pain had been more? What if he had a heart attack? “Do you think he actually stopped using? He promised me.”

“I think he tried. But with everything with his family I just think he can’t.”

Olivia knew they had to get him help. She just hoped Asher didn’t hate her after she told her dad about his drug use. 

Billy could tell something was wrong when he walked into his house. “Dad, we have something we need to tell you,” Olivia said, motioning for her dad to sit down. 

“Are you two okay?”

“We’re fine, but Asher’s not,” Jordan told Billy. Olivia then spilled everything to her father. “I thought I could help him,” she cried. “But I guess I messed up.”

“Honey, this isn’t your fault. Honestly, I should have known something was wrong.”

“What should we do?”

Jordan’s idea was to get everyone together and show him that they all cared about him, but Olivia didn’t agree. “We tried an intervention with Layla and that backfired. I’m afraid he’ll think we’re ganging up on him. He’ll think I betrayed him.”

Billy put a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “You didn’t betray him. You wanted to help him. He’ll see that.”

“Maybe I should talk to him first. I want him to know how much I love him.”

“You already tried that,” Jordan said, not helping. Olivia was about to reply when another voice said, “Maybe I should talk to him.”

They turned around and Spencer was standing in the entrance to their living room.

“Spencer, how much did you overhear?” Olivia asked.

“Most of it. But I already knew.”

“You knew? How?”

“I just had a feeling. Will you let me talk to him?”

“I don’t know if that’s such a great idea.” She knew Spencer meant well, but he was probably the last person Asher wanted to see. Jordan agreed with his sister.

“Listen, I know you all love him, but you both grew up in a home with two loving parents. It’s different when you think someone doesn’t love you. You think it’s your fault and you try to figure out why you weren’t enough. Maybe I can get through to him. Let me try?”

“Can I come with you?”

He knew Olivia was scared by the way her voice quivered, and he knew she was about to start crying. “I think I should go by myself. But I’ll call you if I think you should come over.

“Okay,” she said, reluctantly. She trusted Spencer, and honestly she was out of options. “But make sure he knows we all care. And that we’re not mad. Well, I am mad, but—-” 

Spencer cut her off, “I will. It’s going to be okay, Olivia. I promise.”

She hoped more than anything that he was right.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spencer tries to help Asher.

Asher was sitting at home going over game plays when he heard a knock at his door. When he opened the door he was surprised to see Spencer standing in front of him. At first he was concerned and thought something had happened to Olivia

“Spencer, hey, what are you doing here? Is Liv okay?”

Spencer assured him that Olivia was fine, at least physically. Asher was relieved but still confused. If Spencer wasn’t here to talk about Olivia, why was he here?

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, opening the door.

“I came to check on you. See how you were feeling after practice today.”

“I’m good.”

“Really? You collapsed on the field today. You didn’t seem fine.”

“Did Jordan put you up to this? Because I swear, if one more person asks me if I’m okay, I’m going to lose it.”

“Jordan’s just worried about you. So is Olivia. I thought maybe if you wanted to talk...”

“No, Spencer, I don’t want to talk. You can tell Jordan that I’m fine,” he said, walking away. Unfortunately Spencer followed him into his kitchen. 

“Come on, Asher. I know you’re using steroids, and I want to help. I get it. I know what it’s like to put so much pressure on yourself.”

“You don’t!” How dare Spencer come into his house and try to tell him he understood. He didn’t know how Asher felt. “You’ve always been the best. You don’t know what it’s like to try so hard and fail...”

“I know what it’s like to want to prove something to someone. When my dad left I thought it was my fault. Like somehow I wasn’t good enough. But it wasn’t my fault. And your parents issues aren’t your fault.”

“It’s not the same! You still had your mom. When I wasn’t good at football my dad kicked me out of my house. And my mom let him blackmail her so she stayed away. Neither one of my parents cared.”

At this point Asher was done with this conversation. “All I have is football. So if you’re not here to help me get better at that then we don’t have anything else to talk about.”

“You don’t just have football. You have the Baker’s. Do you know how much they care about you? Olivia is so scared, and I know you care about her.”

“I love Olivia. And you know what? I couldn’t even be there for her. She needed me at her cotillion, and I failed. Just like everything else.”

Just then Asher started to not feel very well. His heart was beating fast just like during practice, but this didn’t make sense. He hadn’t been running or doing anything now to cause this.

“She forgave you for that,” Spencer said. Asher was trying to listen, but he was having a hard time since his chest was starting to hurt. “But she’s not going to forgive you if you die because you wouldn’t stop using steroids!”

“Spencer,” he said, as his vision started to get blurry. He’d never had blurry vision before. “Spencer, I don’t feel good.” He kneeled down on the floor his hand clutching his chest.

Spencer ran to his side asking what was wrong. He told Asher to close his eyes and try to take some deep breaths. That seemed to work as Asher’s vision returned to normal and his heart seemed to slow down. Spencer gave him a glass of water and let Asher take a few sips before saying anything.

“How long have you been having chest pain?”

“It’s only happened a few times. But it’s usually when I work out. It’s never happened like this before.” 

“If you keep taking steroids it’s going to get worse. What if next time you have a heart attack?”

“I thought I was okay. I thought I had everything under control. I thought the steroids could help me be better.” Tears escaped Asher’s eyes and ran down his face. He was scared about what was happening to him, and he realized everyone was right. He needed to stop, but he didn’t know if he could do it by himself.

“I need help.”

Spencer nodded. “You’re not alone.”

————-

Spencer called Olivia and told her what was going on, and she desperately wanted to help. He agreed it would probably be good for Asher to see her now. When Olivia got to Asher’s, she asked Spencer how he was doing.

“He’s pretty shaken. He’s going to need us, Olivia.”

Spencer let Olivia have some time alone with Asher, and when Olivia saw Asher, her heart broke. He was sitting on the couch, and she could tell he had been crying. 

When he saw her he immediately started apologizing. “I’m sorry I lied to you. I didn’t mean to, but I just couldn’t stop. But I’m done using. For real this time. I promise.”

She sat down next to him, and asked if he was okay. He nodded. “That’s all I need. We can talk about everything else later. My dad said you can spend the night at our house tonight.”

“Your dad must hate me.”

She shook her head. “He’ll want to talk to you, but again, that can wait until later. We’re all just glad you’re safe.”

She pulled Asher into her arms and he rested his head into her chest. He loved this girl so much, and he just hoped that he could keep his promise to her this time.

As she held Asher, Olivia realized he needed more help than what she could give him. But she was going to be there for him every step of the way.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asher finally agrees to let the Bakers help him.

Asher was really nervous as he arrived at Olivia’s house. He knew Olivia said her family loved him, but they had to be mad, right? He used drugs and lied about it. He also worried about his relationship with Olivia. Would she forgive him?

Olivia greeted him at the door and pulled him into a hug. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said and then took his bag from him. “I’m going to take this upstairs and get your room ready for you. My dad is in his office. He wants to talk to you.”

She could sense that he was concerned. She grabbed his hand and told him everything was going to be okay. “Whatever happens, I’m here.”

He walked into Coach Baker’s office, preparing for the worst. Billy told him to have a seat, and he started off the conversation by asking how Asher was feeling.

“I’m okay,” he said, surprised by the question. He thought for sure Billy would yell at him.

“You were having chest pains earlier. Are you sure you feel okay?”

He nodded. “I feel fine now. But it was scary,” he admitted. “For a minute I couldn’t catch my breath...”

“Steroids are dangerous, Asher. You’re lucky that nothing else happened.”

“I know. It was stupid. I’m done taking them. I promise.”

“I’m glad to hear that. But it worries me that you thought you had to use them in the first place. You didn’t think you could talk to me?”

“I was just under so much pressure. I thought if I could be good at football then I could prove that I wasn’t a complete screw up. But I guess I’ve manage to mess this up, too.” He paused for a second, not wanting to cry. “Am I off the team?”

“No, Asher, I’m not going to kick you off the team. But there are a few conditions. First, you’ll have to check in with me for drug tests.”

“Okay. That’s not a problem.”

“Second... I have a list of names that Laura gave me.”

“Names?” He asked, confused.

“Of therapists. Asher, with all the stuff going on with your parents, I think you need to talk to someone.”

“Yeah, but a therapist? I don’t need to talk to some stranger about my life.”

“I think you do. You’ve had a lot happen to you this year, and you need help figuring out how to deal with it. In a healthier way than using drugs.”

As much as he hated the idea of therapy, Asher realized Billy had a point. “So if I see a therapist and pass your drug tests I can stay on the team?”

“There’s one more condition. I want you to feel like you can come to me with any problems you might have. I care about you, Asher.”

“Thanks, Coach.”

“Okay, that’s it. Check in with me tomorrow at school.”

He nodded. As he stood up to leave, Billy pulled Asher in for a hug. As much as he tried to fight it, Asher couldn’t help but start to cry. For the first time in a long time he felt like he was going to be okay. He knew he had people in his corner.

As he walked out of Billy’s office, Jordan was waiting for him. “How’d it go?” he asked.

“He didn’t kick me off the team. I can’t believe it. Thank you.”

Jordan shook his head. “I didn’t do that much.”

“No, I’m serious. You knew I was in trouble, and you helped. Thank you.”

“If you want to thank someone, thank Liv. She’s really worried about you.”

He nodded. He knew he needed to talk to Olivia, but he was beyond tired. All he wanted to do was lay down for a while. Olivia and Jordan both understood and weren’t offended when he turned down an invite for dinner.

Asher went upstairs to the guest bedroom where Olivia and Laura had given him extra blankets and pillows. He couldn’t help but smile at this simple but kind gesture. He was so lucky to have this second family who loved him.

He managed to fall asleep but was woken up by a knock at the door. “Can I come in?” Olivia asked.

He nodded, sitting up.

“Were you sleeping? I can leave if you want.”

“No, please don’t leave.” Yes, he was tired, but wanted to be with her. He noticed that she was holding two bowls and two spoons in her hands.

“I know you said no to dinner, but I thought you might want some ice cream,” she said, handing him a bowl and a spoon.

He smiled. She really knew exactly what he needed to feel better. 

“So my dad said your talk went well.”

“He’s letting me stay on the team. As long as I stay off the steroids. He also wants me to go to therapy.”

“I think that maybe that’s a good idea. Talking with someone might help you.”

“I agreed to go. But I don’t know how I feel about talking about my problems with a stranger.”

“Therapy helped me. Just keep an open mind, okay? You might be surprised.”

He finished his ice cream and set the bowl down on the table next to the bed. He moved closer to Olivia and reached for her hand. “I’ll do anything if it means I won’t lose you. Are we okay, Liv?”

“You promise never to lie to me again?”

“I promise. And I’m so sorry. I hope you can still trust me.”

“As long as we’re honest with each other from now on, then we’re okay.”

“I love you. Thanks for taking care of me.”

She placed her ice cream bowl beside Asher’s and then leaned in and kissed him. After a few minutes, she pulled away. “So, I was thinking... I could stay in here with you tonight.”

“Yeah?”

“I mean, if that’s fine with you.”

He smiled. “That’s definitely fine with me.”

They laid down, and she rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. She never wanted him to let her go, and she realized how terrified she had been of losing him.

“Asher? Please don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“I won’t, Liv. I promise.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asher and Olivia have dinner and talk about his therapy.

As much as Asher didn’t want to go to therapy, he had to admit that it was helping. He liked his therapist, and he felt free to talk about his life. He could express his emotions and feelings, and he felt like he was finally starting to learn how to deal with his issues. He even told his dad about the steroids, and his dad was making an effort to improve their relationship.

Olivia could see a change in him, too, even though he was hesitant to talk about his therapy with her. She had already spent so much time and energy worrying about him, and he didn’t want to bother her anymore. But, of course, Olivia still worried. And with Asher’s therapy and football, she missed spending time with him. So she invited him over for dinner.

Asher was nervous about going over to the Baker’s. He hadn’t been there since he had been on steroids, and he was worried about how they would treat him.

When he got to the Baker’s, Olivia greeted him at the door.

“Hey,” he said, as she wrapped his arms around his neck. She leaned in to kiss him, and he put his hands around her waist and pulled her closer.

“That was a nice welcome,” he said.

“I’ve missed you. I haven’t seen you very much lately.”

“Yeah, I’ve just been busy.”

She didn’t buy that, but she would talk to him later. “Are you ready for a Baker family dinner? Don’t worry, my mom didn’t cook.”

That got a smile out of him. He remembered Olivia always talking about how awful Laura’s cooking was. “Yeah... it’s just... I haven’t been here since I was on steroids. I just don’t want things to be weird.”

“They won’t be weird. I promise. We all want you here.”

He reached for her hand, and smiled. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

She lead him into the kitchen and was greeted by the Bakers. As Olivia helped finished getting everything ready, Asher walked over to Spencer. He hadn’t had a chance to thank him for coming over that day.

“Hey, Spencer, I just wanted to say thank you for what you did for me.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“No, really. You cared enough to come over, and if you hadn’t... I would have been by myself when...” Asher couldn’t finish. He didn’t like to think about what would have happened if he was by himself when he started having chest pains.

“I’m just glad you’re doing better.”

“Me, too.”

“If you need anything just let me know.”

He felt like for the first time Spencer was his friend and not his competition. “Thanks, man. I feel like I’ve got a pretty good support system here.” He looked around at everyone in the kitchen and knew that this was his family.

Dinner was going fine until Asher started feeling sick. He hadn’t told anyone this, but his therapist had prescribed him an antidepressant, and one of the side effects was nausea. So of course he was feeling nauseous now. Olivia noticed that he was looking pale, and she asked him if he was okay.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he lied. But he felt like he was going to be sick so he ran upstairs to the guest bathroom. Once he got there he laid down. He never actually threw up, but he felt miserable. He couldn’t go back downstairs.

He heard a knock on the door. “Ash?” Olivia said as she opened the door. She panicked at the site of him laying on the floor. She immediately grabbed a washcloth from the cabinet and wet it in the sink.

“What happened?” She sat down in front of him and gently pressed the damp washcloth on his forehead.

“I started taking these antidepressants that my doctor gave me, and they make me sick sometimes. I’m sorry ruined dinner.”

“First you didn’t ruin dinner. Second, why didn’t you tell me about the meds?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s kind of embarrassing that I have to take pills because of depression.”

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed. You just need a little help.”

“I also didn’t want to bother you. You’ve already spent so much time worrying about me, and you need to focus on your life.”

She put the washcloth down and moved so she was laying beside him and put his hand in hers. “Well I still worry about you. That’s never going to stop. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

“I like being stuck with you.”

She smiled. She had missed talking with him. “So tell me more about your therapy. I mean, if you want to.”

“Well my therapist challenged me to try to find something I love besides football.”

“Like a hobby?”

“Yeah, I guess. I’m still trying to figure out what to do.”

“You’ll figure it out. I have faith in you.”

“You’re always here for me,” he said, as he leaned in to kiss her.

After a few minutes they moved from the bathroom floor to the couch since he felt better. She told him that she usually watched trashy tv on the couch at night since she had trouble sleeping and asked if he wanted to join.

“Of course,” he said. They settled down on the couch and she laid her head against his chest and he wrapped her arms around her. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

She caught Asher up on the show that was on tv. He laughed at how ridiculous this show was and he even teased Liv for watching it, but the truth was he loved it. She was laughing and happy, and that was what he wanted.

A little while later he asked Olivia a question about the show, but she didn’t answer. He looked down and saw she was sound asleep. He didn’t move. He just sat there and watched her sleep, grateful that she finally felt safe enough to fall asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asher continues therapy and has dinner with his mom.

Asher was feeling better. He had been in therapy for a few weeks now and his relationship with his dad was improving. His relationship with his mom, however, was different. His therapist encouraged him to give his mom a chance, and they had been having weekly breakfasts. But it was harder for Asher to forgive his mom. He had been deeply hurt when she left, and he didn’t know if he would ever truly get over it.

His mom wanted him to come over to her place for dinner, and he reluctantly agreed. He was nervous, though, so he decided to stop by Olivia’s on the way. She always had a way of making him feel better.

Olivia could tell he was worried when he showed up at her door. “It’s going to be fine,” she assured him as he walked into her house. “Your mom loves you. She wants to start to rebuild what you all lost.”

“But what if…” he trailed off, turning away from Olivia for a second. 

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“What if I can’t forgive her? I’m trying, but she left me, Olivia. I’m still trying to deal with that.”

“It’s okay,” she assured him. “This dinner is just a start. You can’t solve everything in one night.” She reached for his hand and pulled him closer. “Besides, whatever happens, I’m here.”

“I know you are.” He puller her into a hug and just held her for a few moments. He wished he could just stay with her, but he knew he owed it to himself to go to his mom’s house.

\---------

Dinner went better than Asher expected. When he got there, his mom had everything ready. At first they just had small talk. She wanted to know how his day was. How he was doing in school and at football. Then he asked how Olivia was.

“We’re good,” he said, smiling. He couldn’t help it, and his mom noticed.

“I’m thankful that she’s been there for you.”

“Liv’s amazing. She’s been with me through everything. When no one else was.” Then he noticed how sad his mom was after he said that. “Mom, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“No, you have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who needs to apologize to you. Asher, I should have never left you. You’re my son, and I should have been here for you. I hope you know that I love you.”

He nodded. “I love you, too, mom. And I want to work on our relationship. It just might take me some time.”

“You take all the time you need. I’m just glad you’re willing to give me another chance.”

He needed his mom. While it would take time to get back what they had lost, he was glad she was back in his life.

\-------

He stayed at his mom’s for awhile after dinner just talking. He didn’t want to stay too late, but he promised that he would make plans for another meeting soon. Before he got in his car, he texted Olivia to let her know that dinner went well, and he would tell her about it tomorrow at school.

When he got home, he was surprised to see Olivia sitting on his front porch. “Hey,” he said, taking a seat next to her on the porch. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until tomorrow.”

“I know, but I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow.”

“I’m glad you came over.” He put his arm around her and she learned her head against him. “Thank you, Olivia.”

“For what?”

“Everything. Without you I’m not sure where I would be right now.”

“I didn’t do that much. You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re amazing, Liv. So I was thinking…”

“Yes?”

“Maybe this weekend we could go somewhere and be alone together? Between your house and mine we can barely get an hour alone together.”

Olivia smiled. “That sounds perfect.” She leaned in a kissed him. She was so relieved that he was feeling better and things were getting back to normal. And Asher felt so lucky to have her by his side. He was going to show her how much he loved her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia and Asher finally get some time alone.

Asher couldn’t wait to spend time with Olivia alone. They had been through so much over the last few months, and he wouldn’t have made it without her. He wanted to show her how appreciative he was of her and how much he loved her.

When he opened the hotel room, she was stunned by how much work he had put into everything. There were flower petals on the bed and candles lighting the room. No one had ever done anything like this for her before.

“This is beautiful, Asher.”

“I just wanted to do something special for you.”

“Baby, this is so sweet. But I don’t need any of this. I just need you.”

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands found her waist and pulled her close. He learned in and kissed her. A few moments later his hands pulled her cardigan off her shoulders, and she pulled it off and threw it on the floor. He started kissing her neck, and she reached down and pulled his shirt up. He raised his hands up to help take it off. She started walking towards the bed, and he followed her.

He then gently pulled the straps of her dress down. She stepped out of it, and once the dress was off, he couldn’t help but stare. She was gorgeous. 

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “I’m sure.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

After they finished making love, they laid in bed. She rested her head on his chest, and he had one arm wrapped around her. His other hand held hers. “That was better than the first time.”

The truth was she barely remembered the last time. She was grateful that she had a chance to make up for her past. “I was so messed up then.”

“But you got through it. And you helped me get through my issues.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Thank you for sticking by me.”

“Of course.”

“And from now on I’m going to be the best version of myself. For you.”

Olivia had never felt this way before. No one had ever cared about her the way Asher did. “I want that, too.”

“I have a lot to make up for. You were there for me through everything, and now I’m going to be there for you.”

“I’m fine, Asher.”

“You’re sleeping better?”

She nodded. 

“Good. But I’m serious, I want you to talk to me when you’re scared, okay?”

“Okay. But right now I just want to focus on us. And what you have planned for the rest of this weekend?”

“I thought maybe we could go on a walk together... or maybe go swimming. Then have dinner.” He stopped for a minute to kiss her. Then he moved from kissing her lips to her neck. “Or maybe we should just stay in bed all day.”

“I like that option,” she said, kissing him back. “I just want to be with you.” Both Asher and Olivia wished they could stay like this forever. Just the two of them with no outside distractions. But they were going to make the most of the time they did had together.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asher and Olivia’s summer has begun!

Asher and Olivia had been almost inseparable the first few days of summer. They had taken turns sleeping over at each other’s houses, and this morning they were at Olivia’s. As Olivia woke up, she smiled as she felt Asher’s arm wrapped around her waist. She slowly rolled over so she was facing him and lightly brushed her lips against his. After a few moments he started to stir and his eyes opened. 

“Good morning,” she whispered.

He smiled. “I could get used to waking up like this.”

“Me, too,” she said as he leaned in to kiss her again. She decided that she never wanted to leave this bed. “Can we stay here all day?”

“I wish, but I have to get up.”

“Why? No one else is home.”

“I promised my mom I would have breakfast with her.”

“Oh.” She tried not to sound disappointed. Olivia was glad he was getting along with his mom. Really, she was. But she and Asher had finally worked through all of their problems, and she wanted to be a little selfish and have him to herself.

“But I can come back after it’s over. We could hang out by the pool today.”

She nodded. “That sounds really good.”

She watched at him as he got up from the bed and gathered up his clothes. “What?” He asked after he caught her staring.

“I just like looking at my boyfriend. Especially when he doesn’t have a shirt on.” She sat up, moved to he edge of the bed, and grabbed his hand. She pulled him closer to her, and he leaned down to kiss her. He knew he needed to go, but he really didn’t want to leave.

“Liv,” he said between kisses, “This isn’t making it easy to leave.”

She reluctantly pulled away from him. “Fine. Go. Have fun.”

“I‘ll be back soon. Promise.”

—————

When Asher got back to the Baker’s, Olivia was already in her bathing suit laying by the pool. He quickly changed and then joined her. His mom had asked him something at breakfast, and he needed to talk to Liv about it.

“How was breakfast with your mom?”

“It was good,” he told her, but she could sense something was wrong.

“Nothing’s wrong, but my mom wants to go on vacation. She wants us to spend some time together... to get back some of the time we lost.”

“That sounds nice. When would you leave?”

“The day after tomorrow. For a month.”

“Oh.” 

“I don’t have to go. If you want me to stay, I will.”

“You should go.” 

“Really? Are you sure?”

She nodded. “You deserve to have this time with your mom. And we’ll still have a few weeks left of summer when you get back.”

“I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too. But we still have today, right?”

“We do.” He leaned in to kiss her. “You’re amazing. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She stood up and reached for his hand. “Come on, let’s get in the pool.”

————

Asher spent the next day packing and had lunch with his dad. His dad had to travel for work so Asher and Liv had the opportunity to spend the night alone. Asher wanted the night to be special, but while he was packing he found some needles under his sink. They were unused, but he thought he got rid of all his extra supplies from when he was on steroids.

He didn’t hear Olivia come in, but he finally snapped out of his thoughts when he saw her standing in his bedroom. She looked at what he was holding, and it scared her. “Asher? Are you okay?”

“No, it’s not what you think. I just found these while I was packing. I can’t believe Inwas so stupid.”

She sat down beside him on his bed. “You weren’t stupid. You just made a mistake.”

“I was so desperate... desperate to prove that I was good enough.... desperate to be loved. And I almost lost everything.”

“It was a rough year,” he said, as Olivia took the needles from him and set them on the table next to the bed. Then she moved so she was facing Asher and took both of his hands. “Next year is going to be better. For both of us.”

“Thank you for being so cool about me going on vacation with my mom.”

“I’m not going to lie, I’m going to miss you.”

“Well that’s good. Because I’m going to miss you, too.” He leaned in and kissed her.

“Are you finished packing?” She asked.

“Pretty much. Do you want to get something to eat?”

She shook her head. “I’m not hungry. Are you?”

He smiled. “No.” He leaned in again and kissed her again. 

After they slept together, Asher and Olivia simply laid in bed together, neither wanting to move. He held her in his arms thinking about how much he was going to miss her. But when he came back they were going to have an amazing summer and an amazing senior year together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this story! I hope you liked the ending. I’ll try to start another story soon as I am missing All American!


End file.
